Bed bugs are small insects that feed solely on the blood of animals. The common bed bug, Cimex Lectularus, is the species of bed bug that has most adapted to living with humans. Bed bugs have lived with humans since ancient times, although many people living in the United States have never seen a bed bug. However, the increase of international travel in recent decades has contributed to the resurgence of bed bugs in the United States. There are many aspects of bed bugs that make it difficult to eradicate them once they have established a presence in a location.
Adult bed bugs are about ¼ inch or about 6 millimeters long, 5-6millimeters wide, and reddish-brown with oval, flattened bodies. The immature nymphs are similar in appearance to the adults but smaller and lighter in color. Bed bugs do not fly, but they can move very quickly over surfaces. Female bed bugs lay their eggs in secluded areas and can deposit up to five eggs per day, and as many as 500 during a lifetime. The bed bug eggs are very small, about the size of a dust spec. When first laid, the eggs are sticky causing them to adhere to surfaces.
Bed bugs can go long periods of time without feeding. Nymphs can survive months without feeding and the adults for more than a year. Infestations are therefore not likely to be eliminated by leaving a location unoccupied.
Bed bugs are active during the nighttime and primarily hide during the daytime into tiny crevices or cracks. Bed bugs may find easy hiding places in beds, bed frames, furniture, along baseboards, in carpeting, and countless other places. Bed bugs tend to congregate but do not build nests like some other insects.
Bed bugs obtain their sustenance by drawing blood through an elongated beak. They may feed on a human for 3 to 10 minutes although the person is not likely to feel the bite. After the bite, the victim often experiences an itchy welt or swelling in the area of the bite. However, some people do not have any reaction or only a very small reaction to a bed bug bite. Bed bug bites have symptoms that are similar to other insect bites, such as mosquitoes and ticks. It is not possible to determine whether the bite is from a bed bug or another type of insect without actually observing the bed bug. As a result, bed bug infestations may go long periods without being detected.
Bed bug infestations originate by a bed bug being carried into a new area. Bed bugs are able to cling to possessions and hide in small spaces so that they may easily be transported in a traveler's belongings. As a result, buildings where turnover of occupants is high, such as hotels or apartments, are especially vulnerable to bed bug infestations.
Because of all the features of bed bugs described herein, bed bugs are difficult to eradicate. Professional pest removal specialists and pesticides are needed. It is necessary to remove all clutter and unnecessary objects from a room, remove bed bugs and eggs as much as possible through vacuuming, and apply pesticides to likely hiding areas. This type of treatment for eradication can be disruptive to a business such as a hotel. As a result, it is very desirable to detect bed bugs at the earliest possible moment before an infestation becomes established.
The tiny, mobile and secretive behavior of bed bugs makes it nearly impossible to prevent an infestation. However, the earliest possible detection can make it possible to eradicate the insects most easily. Devices and methods for the early detection of bed bugs are needed especially by those in the hospitality industries.